A meaning other than the literal meaning
A figurative meaning has to do with the words which are used by an author to create a different meaning of a word so that he would have to observe closely to get the real meaning.
Some examples of a figurative expression include:
irony
Personification
Metaphor
Oxymoron
Sarcasm
Hyperbole, etc
With the aforementioned figurative expressions, an author can use them to create dramatic effect, etc